Red-Head Nuescence
by AthenaAriHawthorne
Summary: Octavian and Rachel at Camp Half Blood after the Romans try to invade. Kind-of together-ness, but she is the oracle and he wants to hate her, but she's just so perfect :) Octachel
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer:I do not own any of these characters, they are all the property of the wonderful Rick Riordan.

Warning: I'm writing about the thoughts of two minor characters, so you may have imagined their minds differently, if you disagree to what id written below, review with corrections :)

Author Note: This is my first fan-fiction so I hope you like it. Also please review! reviews make me a happy-little-ducky :)

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When Octavian had arrived at Camp Half-Blood he had been prepared for a long, hard battle. But the camp was deserted. They had searched the large building that Percy Jackson had told them was the 'Big House' and the cabins. The way Percy had described them Octavian had expected big indoor shrines to the Olympians. But looking at them he thought they looked like average summer-camp cabins that had been decorated to represents different aspects of the gods. The Greeks had obviously left in a hurry. There were still clothes and other belongings in some of the cabins. Yet some were empty, the ones on the far left, which were clearly those of Jupiter, Juno, Pluto and Neptune, looked like they hadn't been slept in for months. They had sent search parties out into the woods but nobody had reported any Greeks, only nymphs had been found, and they had hidden or run from the Romans.

They had set up a temporary fort in the middle of the training camp so the legion could get some rest. Octavian had been stationed on Guard duty and was now sitting against the wall hoping that he would see some Greek blood spilt soon. Octavian had wanted to burn the camp to the ground but Reyna had rebutted the idea, saying that we could use the camp for ourselves, though I suspected she had other, hidden motives. Octavian hated Greeks, after what had happened to his mother all those years ago. But he put those thoughts out of his mind. He stood and gathered his things, his watch was almost over. He was wearing his purple camp shirt and had three teddy-bears hanging from his belt. He also had his imperial gold dagger and a Spatha. He was just about to go get Dakota for his shift when he saw a flash of something in the woods. Was that _red hair_? Octavian crept into the woods and preyed to Mars that he could slaughter some Greek butt.

Octavian should have sounded the Alarm, or woken another soldier, but what an honor it would be to bring back a Greek prisoner, it would boost his reputation around camp. Octavian knew that he wasn't nice to the other campers, and he knew he had no friends. It was hard for him to let people in, so he built mental barriers and pushed people away. He compensated for friendship with power. Power would allow him to get through the loss and absence. That was why he didn't like Percy Jackson. because Percy had made friends so easily, and everyone just did what the boy wanted without thinking of the risks. They had allowed the Greeks into New Rome and Percy had sworn on his life that they wanted peace. The Octavian had seen the Son of Vulcan fire on his city. Octavian was determined to repay the Greeks for what they had done to his family. He trudged through the forest, avoiding the roots that sprawled across the ground in front of him. He was beginning to think that he hadn't seen anything when Octavian saw her.

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Thanks for reading, hope you liked it, I plan on posting around 10 chapters in total over the next month :) please review and, once again, THANK-YOU!


	2. Chapter 2

Rachel had had a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach since she had had that vision on the Romans. She had immediately told Chiron, who had ordered everyone to Bunker 9. Where they now were. She was now sitting in the corner watching the others eat dinner from the camp's magical plates. But she wasn't hungry.

"Rachel" somebody called for her but she was to wrapped in her thoughts to hear it until a hand was placed on her shoulder. "Rachel Elizabeth Dare"

"Grover" she said "What's wrong?" the satyr sat down in front of her but she didn't look up from her hands, which were fiddling with the hem of her paint-splattered Camp T-shirt.

"You okay?" he asked, ignoring her question.

"It's just, what if they never leave?" she blinked back the tears forming in her eyes.

"Maybe we could send out a search Party?"

"But they're ROMANS, they'd get hurt by their weapons!" that's when Rachel had an idea.  
"I have to go" she said standing to tell Chiron her plan.

* * *

She was running through the woods towards the Romans, she might Die, but saving her friends was worth it. Besides, there was the chance that she could make peace between the two camps. She prayed to all the Gods that she would survive the night. _You're making the right choice_ she was surprised by the voice, she hadn't heard from the Oracle since it had told her about the Romans. She didn't reply to it, it was inside her mind, it knew what she was doing, it knew things about her not ever she knew herself. She could see the Romans' camp through the trees when she stopped dead in her tracks. Rachael could have sworn she had seen something. _Keep going _the oracle persisted, but Rachel was frozen. Rachel had incredible sight, not only could she see through the mist, but she could see very well in the dark. And she had found what had stopped her. A boy was behind a bush right In front of her. He was tall, with strings blonde hair that reached his shoulders. His blue eyes looked at her, Rachel knew she should run, but she had com here for a reason.

Rachel sucked in a deep breath. "Hi, I'm Rachel Elizabeth Dare" she said.

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Thanks again for reading, I plan to post a chapter every day, and I'm thinking of writing more chapters. Remember to Review :)


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Sorry for the long wait, I'll try to post more often, I've had a pretty rough week and I'm failing 2 of my classes so my parents confiscated my laptop. But I've got it back now, and I've got a few chapters almost ready to go. Hope you enjoy ;)

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Octavian was stunned, something that didn't happen very often. He prided himself to be prepared for anything. But this girl, Rachel Elizabeth Dare, Octavian hadn't been prepared for her. She had long red hair pulled back in a bandanna. Her clothes were covered in paint and her green eyes sparkled in the moonlight. How had she seen him? Why was she holding her hands up to show she was unarmed? Octavian stopped his mind. He had done this many times before. He sprang up, took a few steps forward and Slashed his _ at the girl. She should have crumpled to the ground, she should have screamed, or _something_. But the girl just stood there. She hadn't even been hurt.

"I'm a Mortal" she smiled at him, completely unaffected, as if she this was an every-day thing for her. Maybe it was, the Greeks had strange ways of doing things.

"W-What?" Octavian found his voice. He slashed at her again, but the blade passed straight through, her smile never wavered.

"I'm completely human" she explained "Demigod weapons don't hurt me, mortal weapons, however, they can kill me"

This girl unnerved Octavian. Who was she? "Name, Rank and Status" he blurted.

"Rachel, Oracle and Single" she answered. "Oh, um, what?"

Octavian didn't know what to do with this girl. He couldn't really take her back at sward point. "I'm taking you with me" he said and snatched her wrist in his hand. He pulled her arm with him back to the fortress.

* * *

At the entrance to the camp Octavian found Dakota, who had clearly come looking for him, in his absence.

"W-What?" Dakota looked stunned to see Octavian dragging a girl by the arm behind him.

Octavian just stormed past him and walked straight to the Door of Reyna's Cabin. Fury filled his being and all he wanted to do was make this girl pay for... well that part Octavian didn't know. He wanted for her to feel the pain he had felt when his parents disappeared. But part of him didn't want to hurt her. Part of him wanted to protect her. And the original part of him wanted to hurt that part of him. But that part of him was the only part he was sure of.

Octavian's head spun. What was wrong wit him. He was ROMAN, she was a GREEK!

Octavian rapped his knuckles on the door in front of him. He heard shuffling inside and the door swung open revealing Reyna in a T-shirt and shorts.

Dakota ran up behind him and looked from Reyna to Octavian to the red-haired girl who hadn't said a thing and was still smiling.

"Octavian" Reyna said, still waking from her sleep "Who is that girl?"

Dakota then interjected "She's Pretty"

"Hello" the girl finally spoke. She ripped her arm from Octavian's grasp and smoothed out her shirt. "I'm Rachel Elizabeth Dare" she stretched out her hand to Reyna, but the gesture wan not returned so she dropped it. "You're Reyna, right? Jason told us about you"

The Roman demigods didn't answer. "I'm the Oracle of Delphi" she turned around. "You're Dakota right? Son of Bacchus? And you're Octavian, descendant of Apollo. And Reyna, you're the daughter of Bellona." Rachel's voice grew more and more confident with each Word.

"Ah, what?" Dakota's voice slurred on the 'what' and Octavian was so out-of-it he almost laughed.

"I found her in the forest" Octavian said, regaining his composure and recounted his encounter with the girl.

"I'll be your prisoner if you want" Rachel chimed in at the end of the story.

"That is not necessary" Rayna answered chewing her bottom lip like she did when she had to make a hard decision.

"We will keep her, though, won't we Reyna?" Octavian didn't know his motives, but he didn't want to girl to leave. If nothing else he wanted to see how much of the future this girl knew. And why she couldn't be harmed with his weapons.

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Hope you guys liked this, I really am sorry for the wait. Anyways, Review with ideas, or just review anyway. Reviews make my day every time, I'm planning to start another story too, probably one with Dakota and an OC or something. Dakota's my brother, and I love writing about him. So any fanfic ideas please message me with :) love you all 3


	4. Chapter 4

This Chapter is Dedicated to SomethingSpiffy, one of my best friends :) Hope you guys like it XD

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Rachel didn't want to submit entirely to the Romans. But it had seemed the only way to get them to take her seriously. The girl, Reyna, had said it was unnecessary to take her prisoner, so where did that leave her? She had been searched for weapons, given new clothes, blindfolded and locked in a room. When her eyes had adjusted to the light she was that it was empty except for the bed pushed against the back wall. _You're in the big house_ the oracle told her, but she had never seen this room before.

"Rachel, You are called for the Senate" the voice of a roman legionnaire came to her.

"Okay, let me out then" Rachel tried not to sound too sarcastic.

A boy opened the door and walked over to her and tied a piece of cloth around her head, forcing her to close her eyes. He grabbed her wrist and led her away.

"We are here" the blindfold was loosened and she clawed it away from her face. There were going to be red marks on her face later on. She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the bright light again. She was in a courtyard, surrounded by roman-style columns that held up roofs over a series of walkways. It astounded Rachel that the Romans had built all of this in 5 days.

"Rachel Elizabeth Dare" she turned to see Reyna on a sort of throne. "You have come to our camp to surrender yourself to us. This means that you will, effectively, be our slave"

"I understand" Rachel didn't know where her voice came from, because she felt extreme fear take over her body. What would they make her do?

"Why did you do this?" Octavian said, from the seat next to Reyna's.

"I came to offer myself, in exchange for the safety of the Greek Demigods" It wasn't Rachel speaking, it was the Oracle. It was taking her over, but it wasn't like it usually was, normally it took her over and she wasn't aware of anything happening. But it was as if she was speaking the words, but she wasn't in control of them.

"What does this condition involve?" Reyna asked.

Rachel proceeded to list her conditions.

-That the camp be left unharmed

-That no campers be killed

-That no Nymph or Satyr be hurt either

-And that the Romans not hurt another Greek Demigod

But it still wasn't Rachel, the oracle was better at phrasing what she wanted that Rachel could have ever been.

"But Percy Jackson swore on his life" Octavian objected.

Reyna gave him a look of disgust and hatred. Octavian either didn't notice or didn't care, but Rachel saw hurt in Reyna's eyes.

"Rachel, Octavian is right, Percy must die, he swore. I warned him"

Rachel couldn't answer, the oracle wasn't going to help anymore. It took her a minute to pull herself together. She straightened and looked Reyna in the eye.

"Then I will take his place"

* * *

Rachel was now waiting in that room again. It had been hours since she had told the Romans to take her life rather than Percy's. She had spent every moment since, praying to the gods that the Romans would keep their promise not to hurt any Greeks. She had made Reyna and Octavian swear on the river Styx, but Rachel wasn't even sure if it was binding to Romans. So she waited, and waited, and kept waiting until she heard a knock at the door.

"What do you want!?" Rachel shouted at whoever was at the door.

It swung open to reveal Octavian closing the door behind him.

"I have come to collect you for the Games" with that Octavian took her by the arm and pulled her behind him, up the hall. No blindfold or anything.

Rachel ran to keep up with the blond-haired boy. They went though countless corridors and eventually emerged in the sward-fighting arena that Camp Half-blood used for training.

Rachel would often come here to watch a duel between two campers. Most involved a child of Ares getting revenge on one of the stoll brothers for pranking them. The stoll brothers usually ended up losing though, Ares' children were fierce when they had to defend their pride.

The arena had been barricaded off, presumably so Rachel couldn't try for an escape. The benches were filled with roman demigods and Reyna stood in front of her. Octavian let go of her arm and walked around to stand next to Reyna.

"You will fight to the death" Reyna announced to the crowd. Rachel's eyes widened in shock. She had expected them to execute her privately, in a room, keeping her a secret form the camp. But, clearly not.

"Against what?" her voice was panicky.

"Against a Sphinx" Octavian Announced.

Rachel's first thought was of the giant Sphinx in Egypt, She knew that she couldn't be expected to fight something like that.

Reyna and Octavian stepped to the side to reveal a large weapons rack behind them. Rachael had never trained with many weapons, being the oracle, but she saw a dagger there. One that looked like the one she had been given. She knew how to use it, even if she wasn't very good. She could stab and slash and she knew how to use a basic shield to block.

"You have a choice of three items" Reyna explained.

Rachel walked towards the rack and picked out the dagger. She then chose a round shield. What else was there to chose? It was then that she saw the vials of colored liquid inside the rack.

_They are elixirs of Power _Rachel heard the Oracle's voice in her mind. _The red one will grant you all the powers of a child of Ares, The orange one gives the powers of a child of Hephaestus and the Black one gives you the powers of a child of hades for precisely one hour. I recommend the blue one. It will give you the powers of a child of Zeus._

Rachel Obeyed the Oracle and took the blue vial in her hand, grasping it tightly.

Rachel looked up to see that the two romans had left the arena. She stepped away from the rack and another roman demi-god took it away.

She turned to face where she had come from to see the monster lurking in the doorway. Rachel's body was tasked over with fear. And she murmured under her breath:

"Please let me live to see my friends again. Please let me live to see another day. Please let me live to see another smile."

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Hope you liked this chapter, it was a little longer than the others, I'm trying to write longer chapters, but the next chapter will be fairly long so this one had to end here... Please review and follow! I love you all! Thanks for reading my fanfic!


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Hey guys, sorry for the inconsistent updates, been on holidays for the last week but I'd've got Internet so ill be posting now :) although ill lose in in a few days. Sorry, hope you like this chapter, I'm not good at this part, the fighting, but next chapter we see some developing feelings :)

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Octavian watched as the girl in the Arena swiped at the Sphinx. It was a truly magnificent creature. Mostly lion, but a great pair of wings sprouted from it's shoulders and It's face was human. Although It's wings were clipped and the face was mangled beyond recognition, This Sphinx had fought many before this girl.

"She is an amazing fighter" Octavian commented to Reyna, who was sitting next to him.

"I have never heard you speak highly of someone in my entire life Octavian" Reyna said "Are you sure you don't care for her"

The whole time since Octavian had gotten back to camp he had been hounded by both Dakota and Reyna about the girl. He hadn't said a thing against her. Octavian really liked this girl, and he hated it. And now he was sitting watching her fight a monster.

Rachel swiped at the creature's face with her blade making a deep gash and blinding it. She ran around it's hybrid body and slashed at it's torso. The special thing about this sphinx is that it was cursed. It could only disintegrate by being stabbed in the heart.

Rachel had no way of knowing that, and it took all of Octavian's self control not to yell it out at her.

The strange thing, is that the Girl had not yet taken the potion. She had slid it into her shield.

Rachel movements were robotic. Clearly she was new to fighting, she was following a basic routine of attacking and blocking. She stabbed it's eye, leaving it blinded momentarily.

Then something unexpected happened.

Dakota, who had been sitting in the stands moments before, leaped from his seat and landed at Rachel's feet.

The girl immediately pulled him upright and dragged him to the far end of the arena. Away from the distracted creature.

"Dakota, get out of..." Octavian yelled at him, but was interrupted.

"No let him stay, this could be interesting" Reyna argued. And Octavian had to agree, this could be very interesting indeed.

In the arena Rachel was speaking to Dakota who was nodding vigorously. Then the sphinx regained it's composure and turned to look right at the two demigods.

Rachel raced away from Dakota, leaving her shield behind. It clattered to the ground and she followed the curve of the arena to the gate the creature had come from.

Octavian watched her with ever-increasing curiosity. What was this girl doing? Leaving her amour to a stranger?

Dakota reached down for the shield, but instead of taking it, he took the potion from inside it.

The sphinx had it's eyes set on Rachel, turning with her movement. She had reached the lock on the cage and was examining the padlock.

The sphinx was getting ready to attack her from behind, she would be dead soon if she didn't save herself.

Dakota took his time uncorking the potion. Octavian hated how the girl had put her life in the hands of a drunk, 17 year old. Finally Dakota opened the vial and drank it all at once.

Immediately he took the shield in his left hand and charged at the sphinx yelling " Die Stupid Cat"

Dakota hit the sphinx's back side hard with the shield. Knocking it off it's feet. It stood and turned, slashing it's talons at Dakota, who used the shield edge to blind the sphinx's other eye.

Octavian watched as Dakota faught the monster, but he only injured it, he didn't try to kill it.

"Look Octavian, Rachel, look at her" Reyna pointed at the read-headed girl in the arena.  
Rachel was using her blade to pick the lock. With one last swift movement the lock broke open and she pulled the gate open. She dashed inside and came back a few seconds later. She had a sward in her other hand and a shield tied around her chest.

Dakota rammed the shield into the creatures face and used the force to jump over the sphinx. Landing on it's back with grace only granted to him by the potion, Dakota reached down and took the sward from Rachel's outstretched hand. He raised the sward and, very dramatically, plunged it into the sphinx, piercing it's heart. The sphinx disintegrated into a pile of dust that Dakota landed on.

Reyna stood and announced the end of the battle, declaring Rachel and Dakota to have won against the Sphinx. Two legionnaires collected an unconscious Dakota from the arena, presumably taking him to the infirmary.

Octavian couldn't stop himself from running into the arena.

"Are you alright Rachel Elizabeth Dare?" he asked the girl. Why had he done that? she was a Greek, she was the ememy. But, then again, she was only a mortal, neither Greek or roman, maybe she could join the Romans. Maybe she could join the leigon. Perhaps she could work with Octavian. But Octavian was getting ahead of himself.

"I'm fine" she said, but she wasn't, because she too lost consciousnesses and collapsed into Octavian's arms.

He picked her up behind her knees and her neck, and cursing himself all the way, took her to his room. He really hated it, but he didn't want to leave her side.

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A/N: hope you liked it. the next chapter should be good, it'll involve some romance and a very funny Dakota. (isn't my bro just that awesome?) ;) Greek half bloods will also return to the story, i hope to post as soon as i can, but i have a percabeth fanfic almost ready to post so hold tight :)

Also please review, i need your reviews to give me energy to do these. i need them like an incubus needs dreams (beautiful creatures reference, sorry, but you should read that series its really great).

-Athena Ari Hawthorne 3


	6. Chapter 6

Previously:

"I'm fine" she said, but she wasn't, because she too lost consciousnesses and collapsed into Octavian's arms.

He picked her up behind her knees and her neck, and cursing himself all the way, took her to his room. He really hated it, but he didn't want to leave her side.

* * *

Rachel didn't want to open her eyes. She was cozy where she was, she  
clung to the body next to her and moaned into it, not wanting to wake  
up. It took a few more moments before Rachel realised what she was  
doing.

Her eyes flew open to find her face buried in a purple shirt. She  
Pulled her hands to her chest to push herself away from whoever was  
next to her. But the arms wrapped around her kept her in place.

"Morning princess" Rachel could feel the movement of their chest, the  
voice was sleepy and quiet. She pushed again and the arms let her go.

Rachel pulled herself upright and looked over at...

"Octavian!?" Rachel almost shrieked.

"I'm here, my princess" he answered, his eyes opening.

"Don't you dare call me princess again!" Rachel said, her voice  
raised, but she wasn't shouting, technically. "What are you doing,  
look at me, pay attention, and you better I've me a good answer, I  
don't appreciate waking up next to a virtual stranger who tried to  
have me killed by a sphinx and I only..."

Her voice petered out as her memory of the previous days events came  
into focus again.

"Oh" her eyes turned darker. "What is wrong with you, Octavian? How  
messed up does your brain have to be to try to kill a girl then sleep  
in the same bed as her?"

Realisation dawned on Rachel at the last part of her outbursts. Se  
clambered as far from Octavian as she could get on the bed. Then she  
climbed out of it, her clothes were now covered in blood as well as  
paint. She tried to stand but collapsed onto the wooden floor, pain  
shooting up her leg.

"Say something Octavian" she shouted, tears streaming down her face.

She had lost everything in such a short time, she had Lost her  
freedom, her dignity, her friends and now it seemed she would loose  
her sanity too.

Her right leg hurt like searing fire. Her head was too clouded by  
anger and Rachel didn't have the energy to protest and Octavian  
re-appeared in front of her. He took her in his arms and lifted her to  
the bed again.

"It's okay, Rachel Elizabeth Dare, I won't hurt you again" his voice  
now seemed warm, like honey, and it soothed her. Then she was  
overwhelmed by drowsiness, and Rachel fell asleep in the arms of the  
roman argur.

When Rachel next woke she was instantly aware of the boy whose embrace  
she was still trapped in. She mustered her strength and pushed herself  
away from him before he could tighten his hold on her. She only went  
as far as the bed allowed, she had learnt her lesson about standing  
before.

When she calmed enough to collect her thoughts Rachel whispered across  
the large bed.

"Octavian?"

Blue eyes opened instantly and Octavian sat up, looking intently at Rachel.

"What's wrong, my princess, does your leg hurt?"

"Don't. Call. Me. That." Rachel hid her face in the pillow and  
screamed, her head hurt, she was so confused.

"What's wrong, Rachel?" He edged closer to her but she shook her head.

"No" she said. "Don't come closer" he turned away from her and sat on  
the edge of the bed, swinging his legs.

"I won't hurt you, I made a mistake, I don't want you to be sad, you  
can trust me" Octavian mumbled

"And why should I trust you?" Rachel retorted " you've done nothing  
but try to kill me so far"

"Because I feel differently about you" he all but whispered.

"Why am I so different? I'm no more special than any other human  
being. I'm just favoured by Apollo to be his oracle"

"so that's why your ankle is healing fast, and thats why the Greeks...  
you're their argur"

"No, I'm an oracle, well the oracle is in my head, i just live here,  
and the oracle uses me to talk when it wants to, and it can talk to  
me, but I'm not special"

"Your special to me, I normally push people away, but with you,  
it's... Different"

"Why don't you, I mean why do you push people away?"

"It's a long story"

"We'll, I've got forever" Rachel crawled across the bed, careful of  
her ankle, and sat on the edge of the bed next to Octavian. He wrapped  
his arm around her shoulder, but Rachel didn't protest, instead she  
snuggled up to his chest, unsure of her feelings towards the boy, but  
wanting to hear him out. "Tell me your story"

Octavian told her about his growing up, his grandmother on his mothers  
side was a child of Apollo who had moved to York, England when she got  
married to a mortal boy she had saved on a quest. His mother had died  
when he was young, and his father had chosen to drink rather than look  
after him and his younger sister, Angeline, who he called angel. He  
had been 12 at the time, and had to support a family of 3 while  
grieving for his beloved mother.

Somehow Rachel felt as if he wasn't telling her the whole story, but  
this was a sad story, and she really couldn't blame Octavian.

At the age of 14 he had gotten invited to come to join Lupa's pack,  
along with his sister, but she had grown ill and stayed with their  
grandmother, who had been unable to take in bob of them.

As Octavian began to talk Rachel picked up on little details about  
him. His slight British accent, the way a smile tugged on his lips  
whenever he talked about Angel and his slight scowl when talking about  
his father.

Then Octavian got to his life at camp Jupiter. Rachel had heard about  
it from the Jason, but Octavian told her about all of the hardships,  
rather than painting it in a golden light. How they had lost the  
legions eagle, how Percy retrieved it, about Reyna's melt downs over  
both children of the big three. About the roman gods, and about the  
repairs on new Rome.

And then he started talking about a girl, at first Rachel thought he  
was talking about Reyna, then he started saying things about the  
girl's green eyes, and bravery, and long red hair, and the way she  
looks pretty when she sleeps. Then he turned his head to look at  
Rachel.

"And she was my special princess" he finished, before leaning down to  
seal her lips with his.

* * *

A/N: so I'm on a plane home from America as I write this. I'm really  
bored so I thought i would write some fan-fiction on my iPad. Trying to  
write this while everybody else is sleeping is hard, cuz every time I  
think about Octachel I get all fangirly and make weird squeaking,  
dying walrus sounds, cuz I'm just that weird. But yeah, hope you liked  
it, please review!


	7. Chapter 7

Previously:

And then he started talking about a girl, at first Rachel thought he  
was talking about Reyna, then he started saying things about the  
girl's green eyes, and bravery, and long red hair, and the way she  
looks pretty when she sleeps. Then he turned his head to look at  
Rachel.

"And she was my special princess" he finished, before leaning down to  
seal her lips with his.

* * *

"What was that for!?" Octavian held his hand to his cheek where the  
skin was beginning to turn red.

Rachel had limped her way over to the door by now "don't you dare kiss  
me, Octavian, you don't even know me!"

She tried to open it but ended up leaning against the locked door to  
glare at the clueless boy.

"I...I'm... I apologize" he whispered

"You what?"

"Look, I'm sorry I kissed you, I didn't mean to hurt you"

"Why!?" She demanded, testing her ankle's strength then wincing when  
she put too much pressure on it.

"I... Don't know...I just wanted to kiss you... So I did"

"But I'm the oracle" he wasn't sure, but Octavian could swear he  
could see a blush spread across Rachel's cheeks "I have sworn off  
boys, I'm an eternal virgin, I can never... I'd have to ask Apollo,  
but nobody has herd from the gods in 9 months"

"Have you ever met Apollo, I'm pretty sure he would sympathize,  
considering the amount of children he has"

"Am I allowed to leave?" She asked, tugging at her shirt.

"Sure, but you might want to freshen up first, my princess, you have  
been out for 2 days, there are spare clothes in there" Octavian  
pointed to the bathroom, he had spent the last two days sleeping,  
eating merger rations and getting things ready for Rachel when she  
woke.

He walked over to help her walk, she latched onto his arm and they  
walked across the room and into the large bathroom.

"There's a clean towel, clothes and soap and things over there"  
Octavian pointed to a pile of clothes topped with soaps.

"Thanks, um, I'll see you when I'm done"

Octavian left the room, locking the door behind him.

He walked over to his closet and pulled on a clean camp shirt and worn  
jeans. He would normally have hung stuffed toys from his belt and made  
a few sacrifices to the gods, but leaving the girl now didn't seem  
right.

Octavian fell back onto his bed, cursing himself over and over, both  
in English and Latin. He was he dumbest person ever, he shouldn't have  
kissed her, but he really wanted to do it again, he had never, ever,  
done something like that before, but he had never felt this way  
before, either.

She was truly special, but Octavian had absolutely experience with  
this kind of stuff. Girls, kissing, other things. Love. There, that  
was the word, the one Octavian dreaded, only, she really made it all  
better.

He lay there, in self pity, until he heard Rachel call for him to let her out.

He walked over to open the door and she looked truly beautiful.

"Is there any other shirt, perhaps long sleeved?" She asked "I'm cold  
and I don't like purple"

"First of all, it's the middle of summer, second, you look really,  
really pretty"

Rachel blushed and her eyes glowed.

"Now come on, my princess, you must want some food"

This time Rachel didn't even protest to the nickname, she took the  
outstretched hand and they linked their fingers.

"Your hair's pretty when it's wet" Octavian commented as they left the  
room, taking a strand of it between two fingers on his other hand and  
twirling it.

Breakfast was truly like a movie. When they walked into the hall, half  
of the people in the room turned to stare at them. Rachel shred away  
from the attention, but Octavian lead her over to a table in the  
centre of the room, with Reyna, an, already drunk, Dakota and other  
members of the senate.

"Today we must decide a plan of action for dealing with the Greeks and  
the girl" one of the senators said.

"I propose we keep her prisoner" said another

"No, she is not a prisoner, but she will help Octavian in his duties  
as argur" Reyna looked directly at Octavian, probably expecting him to  
object. But spending more time with the girl seemed rather nice.

"But, am I still your captive?" Asked Rachel from the seat next to  
Octavian. Her grip on his hand tightened and he squeezed hers trying  
to reassure her.

"No" Reyna replied "you are as free as any new augur would be. You  
will work for Rome, and help Octavian decipher the ancient prophecies.

"Okay" Rachel sounded timid and unsure.

"Octavian, why don't you take her and show her around camp, we a going  
to begin using the Greek's cabins, they have been cleared, I believe  
you can stay in the former cabin of Apollo"

Then Rachel stood beside him and Octavian was pulled along by the  
pretty girl out of the hall back in the direction they had come.

"You don't even know where your going" Octavian laughed

"But the oracle does" the girl replied

"Is it... Talking to... You?"

"Sometimes it guides me, yes, it saved my life in the arena, I am it's  
first living host in a long time, and I've only delivered one prophecy  
so far" Rachel turned to face him and took his other hand in hers.

"Did Reyna mean both of us? In the same cabin?" She blushed

"I believe so" Octavian smiled back and began to walk toward the cabin  
but Rachel pulled at his hands. He turned again to look at her.

"Race ya" she said before she ran off.

They arrived at the same time, hot and out of breath.

"Tie" Rachel panted before opening the door to the cabin.

She took a few steps inside and turned wide-eyed to Octavian

"Oh gods" she said "your gonna love this my prince"

A/N: okay, the next chapters gonna be a good one! Some Greeks come  
back into the story and the whole problem with the eternal-Virgin, no  
boys thing is going to be addressed. And to say goodbye here is a  
haiku for Apollo.

"Tavy likes Rachel  
Plane flights are very boring  
I love Octachel"

-Athena Ari Hawthorne

P.S. Review Please! It makes me really happy to get a review. Also  
check out these awesome fanfic writers who are all my best friends from  
school! Love you all more than Mr Zabell is a ninja! (Zabeldom  
reference, sorry to those who don't get it)

Haz: u/4345121/  
Yassie: u/4072375/  
Ity: u/4049794/  
Meg: u/4289854/


	8. Chapter 8

Previously:

"Tie" Rachel panted before opening the door to the cabin.

She took a few steps inside and turned wide-eyed to Octavian

"Oh gods" she said "your gonna love this, my prince"

* * *

Rachel grabbed Octavian's hand, warm and comforting, and pulled him into the Cabin.

"Lord Apollo" she said, bowing her head.

"Rachel Elizabeth Dare" said the god of prophecy "And Octavian, Both of you sit" Apollo motioned to one of the beds in the cabin and both teens say obediently, Rachel never letting go of Octavian's hand.

"I'm sorry, Lord Apollo" began Octavian

"Be Quiet" Apollo snapped, glaring dangerously at Octavian.

Rachel felt his hand tense and looked at the god apologetically.

"I am not in a good mood" said the sun god "Lord Zeus banished me from speaking to the two of you, but I will not allow myself to be pained in a bad light. Earlier this morning, Rachel, you told the boy that you are not allowed to date. However, that is not the case. The _Oracle _is the eternal virgin, not you. You have the complete freedom of a regular mortal, with the added ability to enter magical places. But, If you do _anything_ the spirit of the oracle will leave you, temporarily, taking your sight and every other magical ability with it" After he finished Apollo looked from Rachel, to the boy next to her, waiting for them to say something.

Rachel could see the blush spread across Octavian's face and she felt her own.

"L...Lord Apollo" he began, testing the words on her tongue "Does this mean you give up permission to be together"

"If Rachel agrees to it" said Apollo, looking at her.

Rachel's blush deepened. She still didn't know how she felt about this. She still needed time to sort through her feeling towards the boy, who's hand she was still holding. She let go of it and placed her hands in her lap, avoiding the gazes of both the others in the room. She didn't want to be put on the spot like this.

"Well" said the god "I'd better be off, don't do anything stupid, you two" With that the god disappeared in a flash of golden light.

Rachel felt the warm tough of Octavian's hand on her shoulder and she didn't resist as she was turned towards him.

"I don't want to talk, Octavian" she said as a tear escaped and fell down her cheek "I need time to think"

Her eyes were shut tightly, but Rachel felt as Octavian wiped the tear from her chin.

"it's okay, my princess" whispered Octavian "I don't want to pressure you"

Octavian wrapped his arms around her and Rachel began to sob into his shirt.

It was stupid, really, she had nothing to be upset about. She was safe, and she even had some freedom. Yes, she was now part of Rome, but what difference did it make really? She wasn't born into the feud. She could easily become roman. But still Rachel couldn't stop the tears that came.

Rachel's head was so clouded. She had only ever really liked one boy, but he had chosen another girl. Rachel had been hurt, yes, but they were happy. Rachel had thought she was happy too, being the oracle. But Octavian had made her question that. Did she even like him that way? She knew that she wanted him, at least as a friend. He had nursed her back to health and opened up to he. And, if nothing else, she wanted to give him friendship.

"I...Don't...Know" Rachel got out between breaths

"Don't know what, my Princess?" Octavian's voice was soft in her ear

"I don't know if I..." Rachel didn't know if she wanted to say it out loud. She tried to calm her breathing and pulled herself upright. Wiping away the last few tears. She knew what she felt, but how could she admit it out loud? after such a short time.

"Rachel?" Octavian sounded concerned now.

"I think... I want to... to..."

His beautiful blue eyes looked at her and Rachel knew the best way to say what she wanted was to just do it.

So she leaned forward and kissed Octavian, properly, with her eyes closed and she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. And Octavian started kissing back

Rachel could have stayed like that forever. But forever never lasts as long as people wish, and they parted, and Octavian smiled at her.

"I really do feel differently about you" he said

"As do I" Rachel then felt herself going faint and fell forward into Octavian's arms, once again

* * *

A/N: Okay, so here's Chapter 8. I'm so sorry for the delay in updates, I've just been so pre-occupied recently. But, I'm just about to go and write a one-shot I've had in my mind for a while :) Though I have to decide what path to take with it. Either they talk first, then meet the Greeks or vice-verse. I can't decide, please review with the decision for me, if the first reviewer doesn't i will use their user-name to decide :) And I'm sorry It's a bit short, but it has to end there (like MoA does apparently) *growls at Rick Riordan*

-Athena Ari Hawthorne

P.S. Does anybody wanna do a fanfic exchange with me? :)


	9. Chapter 9

Previously:

"I really do feel differently about you" he said

"As do I" Rachel then felt herself going faint and fell forward into Octavian's arms, once again.

* * *

Rachel had been out cold for a few hours, but Octavian wasn't worried about her, she was sleeping now. Breathing normally and occasionally murmuring unintelligible things. Normally he would have tried to decipher what she was saying, but other things forced their way into his consciousness. Like what Apollo had said.

_She can date me._ The thought wouldn't leave him alone. _She can date me._

But after hours of thought he had found no hidden meaning in those words and a smile spread across his lips as the true meaning of this _finally_ sunk in.

"Octavian" Octavian's head snapped up and looked across the room at Rachel. Her eyes were fluttering open and she was trying to sit up.

Octavian stood and moved over to her "Rachel, are you okay?"

"Yeah" she said, her voice still pained "My head hurts though. What Happened?"

"How much do you remember, My Princess?" _What if she doesn't remember what Apollo said? _

"I remember Apollo, and talking to you about..." she blushed "then blackness" she finished quickly

Octavian let out a breath he wasn't aware he's been holding. "You collapsed, then after a while you were just sleeping"

Rachel moved to sit on the edge of the bed. "Why do I keep blacking out?"

"I don't know" Octavian said "Sometimes it's suppressed memories, like Hazel"

"Wait, who's Hazel" Octavian could've sworn he could detect jealousy in her voice. But, then again, he wasn't exactly an expert in that kind of thing.

"She's a girl, Daughter of Pluto, she's one of the seven, she dies in the 1930's and she often blacks out and re-lives her past" Octavian swallowed. Rachel was looking at him wide-eyed "She was Percy's friend, I believe, a-"

"Yeah" Rachel interrupted "Dreams that are memories, that about sums it up"

"What memories?" Octavian asked, then thought about what he said for a moment "Sorry, I didn't mean to... Sorry"

"No" Rachel looked away "It's okay... I just..."

Octavian studied Rachel. Her face, a few tears threatening to escape. Her hands were balled up in fists and turning white from the tension. That's when he saw them. Little white lines on her beautiful skin.

* * *

A/N: Yeah, I'm sorry for this chapter. I need this next part to be in Rachel's POV and it's going to be pretty long, I hope. So this needs to be short. I'm sorry I haven't been updating, but I'm reading this new book: Harken by Kaleb Nation. It's pretty good so far, but before I get too emotionally invested I thought I'd post a chapter of this so you guys don't give up hope on me :) Please review and hole tight for the next chapter, which I am very eager for :) Oh, go and read the book too :) It's like $3 on kindle :)

-Athena Ari Hawthorne


	10. Chapter 10

**PLEASE READ THIS FIRST:** Okay. So this chapter will have some darker things in it, nothing inappropriate, but it mentions self-harm. I will put stars around the part containing it so you don't have to read it and i will put a reference down the bottom so you can still get any information from it hat you need. AGAIN. DON'T READ THE STARRED BITS IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH READING THIS KIND OF STUFF. Also. This may be triggering so here is the **TRIGGER WARNING**

A/N: So yeah, read the warning. I'm not sorry for writing this. It is MY story. You do not have to have anything to do with it, but I am very thankful to those who read/review. But I have upped the rating. I, myself am really proud of this chapter, so please don't hate on it.

* * *

Previously:

Octavian studied Rachel. Her face, a few tears threatening to escape. Her hands were balled up in fists and turning white from the tension. That's when he saw them. Little white lines on her beautiful skin.

* * *

Rachel saw it in his eyes. She pulled her hand from her leg it had been on and crossed her arms, covering any evidence.

"Rachel" Octavian whispered, his eyes looking so truthful and trustworthy

"I don't want to talk about it" Rachel wriggled, trying to to free her hands, and ended up leaning against the wall which the bed was against. She pulled her knees to her chest and used her arms to hold them there. She felt tears leave her eyes and lay her head on her arms.

Closing up seemed to be the only reaction she could fathom at the time. She couldn't very well just tell Octavian everything she'd been through. She didn't think she could even if she wanted to.

He wouldn't understand anyway. It was stupid now. But it didn't used to be like that. It used to be the only solution, like her closing up was now. She couldn't explain what she had done. That's when Octavian did something she didn't expect.

"Rachel, I saw them" She felt arms around her an gave up. She collapsed into him. Letting his warmth fill her. Rachel buried her face in his shirt and began to cry. Really cry. Horrible sobbing racked her body and she was breathing heavily and tears were wetting Octavian's shirt.

But Octavian didn't go, He stayed with her. Never taking his arms away from her. He kept talking to her but Rachel couldn't make out the words, just feel the vibration in his chest.

Eventually the crying began to slow. Rachel calmed her breathing and pulled her face from Octavian's shirt, wiping her eyes on her hands.

"Sorry" she mumbled

"Rachel, I really care about you and I don't know what would make you do this, I know nothing about your past, but, I want to help you and I don't want you to feel like that again" His blue eyes looked at Rachel's green ones.

"It was everything" she sighed, giving into his eyes.

"Everything?" he questioned.

"Everything" she re-affirmed "My father, the fact that I had no friends and no-one to talk to outside the staff. And the psychologist my parents made me see. But he didn't care. Nobody cared. And I was all alone. And I couldn't do anything about it. I had nothing except false love and a fake smile"

Rachel felt tears pricking her eyes again, but she blinked them back. She would not break down again. She needed to get this off her chest. Blue eyes were on her again.

"And then, a few years ago I met Percy at Hoover Dam, and after he accidentally tried to kill me he helped me, and I helped him escape skeleton warriors" Octavian looked confused "Long Story" she said before continuing her story "He was the first person who helped me out of nothing more than kindness. He didn't even know about my father. But he had to go. Then I met him at my school, where he was starting out. And I saved his life again and I kind of liked him. Then I guided him and Annabeth through the Labyrinth and then..." she blushed. Unsure if she should say the next part, after all that had happened between her and the boy across from her.

"Then..."

"Then Percy got together with Annabeth, which was okay, because I became the Oracle of Delphi. But then Percy left, and it got bad again."

"Rachel" Octavian shifted so he was sitting cross-legged across from her "You still haven't told me why"

*** Translation down the bottom :)

"Because when everything became too much, I could find someplace to be by myself and a blade. And drag it across my skin and at least I could feel something. I could feel that I was alive. And I though It would be something. And 1 cut turned to 2 which turned to 5 which turned to 20 and it became out of control. And every moment of my life was filled with worry that someone would find out and send me to a mental hospital. And I didn't have and friends to tell. And once I did it didn't matter anymore. Because I found the strength to stop. But then they all left me, to save the world. And I don't blame them from that but I still felt alone. And the blades made the lonliness go away. And the blood dripping from my arm stopped the emptiness"

*** You may read on now :)

Octavian didn't say anything for a while. Thinking it through.

"I'm sorry" she whispered

A few moments passed and he spoke again "I'm so proud of you"

Rachel looked at him, confused by what he said "What?"

"I'm proud of you. You are so strong to live through that. I can only Imagine the hell you must have been in to do that" And he took her wrist and slowly kissed every scar on it. All of them. And when he finished he took her other wrist, and kissed it, even though there weren't any little lines on it.

Then he leaned froward and kissed her. Properly. And Rachel kissed him back. And she loved every minute of it.

It could have been hours, and it felt like only seconds but was probably a few minutes later when warm lips were pulled from her's and Rachel leaned forward and kissed him again. Because he had made her feel like the prettiest and luckiest girl in the world. And she really wanted more of that.

After a while she forced herself to move back. Rachel looked straight at him. "Would you-"

Then lips were on hers again, and she tried to keep talking, to no avail. Then she felt Octavian speak, before she heard the word "Yes"

Rachel laced her arms around his neck and moved so she was on her knees. And she felt his comforting arms wind their way around her waist bringing her to sit on his lap. And their lips parted and they sat there enjoying eachother's presence for a while.

A while later Octavian spoke in her ear, and she would have jumped had she not been trapped in his embrace "You know, we haven't eaten since breakfast. Do you want to get some food and sit by the beach?"

"First date?" she asked nervously.

"First date it is" he smiled and she stood so that he could.

* * *

*** She cut to know she was alive. but it got out of control and when she met Percy she stopped because she had friends, but when he left she started again.

* * *

A/N: So I hope you liked it! I know it was a bit dark, but don't worry, the next chapter will be pure fluff. And after that there's some action. Only 3 more chapters I think. The story's almost where I want it to be, just a few little tweaks here and there and BLAM SLANE. Fanon completion :)

Notice how I put a glee reference in a PJO fic. Sew me :P :)

Thanks for reading and don't forget to review :)

-Athena Ari Hawthorne

P.S. If you were wondering. This is my favourite chapter of the whole fan fiction. Because it gets dark, and I love dark stuff. And I absolutely love fluff. So for me this is just what I want to write like 24/7. Oh, and don't worry. I don't like PDA, so it will be avoided :)


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